Should we preserve the pre-AI internet before it is contaminated? 21. July 2025 (14:56) The rise of AI-generated content since 2022 risks making it impossible to know when information was produced solely by humans, which could be a problem for both future AI and historians(New Scientist)
Immortal stars could live forever by 'eating' dark matter 21. July 2025 (14:00) A computer simulation of stars near the centre of our galaxy offers an explanation for their mysteriously young appearance – they may be capturing dark matter for extra fuel(New Scientist)
Your chance of having a boy or girl may not be 50/50 18. July 2025 (21:00) We commonly think that sperm determines the sex of a child, depending on whether it carries an X or Y chromosome, but a study now suggests that a woman's age is also a factor(New Scientist)
Exposure to microplastic makes animals want to eat it more 18. July 2025 (20:00) Over multiple generations, small nematode worms began preferring microplastic-contaminated food over cleaner options, which could have consequences for ecosystem health(New Scientist)
Ranching and farming have eroded almost all the soil in the Alps 18. July 2025 (19:00) Grazing livestock and farming over the past 4000 years have rapidly accelerated the rate of soil loss in the Alps, jeopardising the ecosystem and putting the mountains at risk of further erosion(New Scientist)
Laws of quantum physics may rule out a universe that came before ours 18. July 2025 (18:26) Instead of the big bang, some physicists have suggested that our universe may have come from a big bounce following another universe contracting – but quantum theory could rule this out(New Scientist)
Is it time to aim for 1.7°C as the new limit for global warming? 18. July 2025 (14:00) With the world on the cusp of passing 1.5°C of warming, scientists are turning their attention to defining a new limit for temperature rises – but not everyone agrees that we should(New Scientist)
Little red dot galaxies have now been found in our local universe 18. July 2025 (11:00) Small, compact galaxies seen in the early universe have puzzled astronomers – finding these unusual objects closer to home could provide hints about how they form(New Scientist)
AI demand could drive up US electricity bills – even if it fizzles 18. July 2025 (00:00) A rush to build more energy infrastructure is driven in part by inflated estimates of US data centre growth. That means households and small businesses could face higher electricity bills – even if AI demand falters(New Scientist)
